In Vitro Evaluation of Ultrasound Effectiveness in Controlling Doxorubicin Release from Albumin-Conjugated Liposomes

Abstract

Functionalized liposomes are among the most promising antineoplastic agents delivery vehicles. Contemporaneous to their accretion at the tumor site, they need to be potentiated to release their cargo using a suitable triggering modality. In this work, targeted Doxorubicin (DOX)-loaded stealth liposomes were synthesized and functionalized with Human Serum Albumin (HSA) to target the overexpressed HSA receptors (HSA-Rs). The effects of low-frequency ultrasound (LFUS) in inducing DOX release from the synthesized liposomes were investigated In Vitro. DOX release increased with the increasing power density of ultrasound. HSA conjugation to the liposomes increased their sensitivity to LFUS. Furthermore, HSA conjugation also enhanced the liposome’s cytotoxic activity and uptake by the cancer cells overexpressing HSA-Rs. This cytotoxic activity and cellular uptake were further enhanced by triggering drug release from those targeted liposomes using LFUS. Combining HSA-targeted liposomes with LFUS is a promising approach in drug delivery.